Clothes-line.



A. GOFF.

CLOTHES LINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY6,1909.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ANNE)! & GM! 00. was. WASHINGTON n I:

A. GOFF.

* CLOTHES LINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1909.

951,185, Patented Mar/8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i 4 i' I i V i i l J mi . I o i \9 A //ZI 2*" v wumbo o Wm 15% 50f ANDREW B. GRAHAM cm mo'm-umocnpnms WASHINGTON u c ARTHUR GOFF OF EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

CLOTHES-LINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Application filed July 6, 1909. Serial No. 505,993.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Gorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edwardsville, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Lines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in clothes lines, and has for its object to provide a device of this character embodying a novel construction whereby the clothes may be raised and held in an elevated position after being applied to the line, thereby preventing them from being soiled while drying.

The invention further contemplates a clothes line of this character which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be readily set up in a yard, and which can be easily manipulated to raise and lower the clothes as desired.

IVit-h these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved clothes line, the lines being shown in a lowered position, Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the device, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the central standard, portions of the levers mounted thereon being broken away.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention shown on the drawings, the numerals 1 designate a pair of spaced posts, and 2 a standard which is preferably somewhat taller than the posts and which is located betweeen the same. Each of the posts 1 has a cross arm 3 secured to the upper end thereof, and a pair of levers 4 are pivotally mounted between their ends upon the standard 2 toward the top thereof. The corresponding extremities of the two cross arms 3 are connected by the clothes lines 5, the middle portions of which are secured to the ends of the long arms of the respective levers 4. The downward swinging movement of the long arms of these levers 4 is limited by the cables or flexible members 6 which connect the extremities thereof to the top of the standard 2.

As indicated more clearly in Fig. 1, the levers 4 normally assume a substantially horizontal position, the clothes lines 5 being then within easy reach of an operator standing on the ground so that the clothes may be readily placed thereon or removed therefrom as desired. The extremities of the short arms of the levers 4 are connected by means of the short branch cables 7 to a main cable 8 which passes downwardly on one side of the standard and around a pulle 9 mounted in the lower portion thereof. After passing around the pulley 9 the said cable extends upwardly on the opposite side of the standard and around a second pulley 10 toward the top thereof, the free end of the cable being secured to the middle portion of an operating lever 11 which is pivotally connected at one end to the base of the standard 2. When this operating lever is released, the combined weight of the clothes lines and the clothes thereon operates to swing the levers 4 down until they assume a substantially horizontal position and the ropes 6 become taut, as indicated in Fig. 1, in which position the clothes may be readily placed upon or removed from the lines.

In order to elevate the lines and the clothes thereon, it is merely necessary to grasp the free end of the operating lever 11 and swing the same downwardly until it can be en gaged by some catch such as indicated at 12, the said catch being shown in the present instance as mounted upon a peg 13 which is driven into the ground. The cable 8 is thereby drawn around the pulleys 9 and 10 and the short arms of the levers 4 drawn downwardly, the lon arms of the said levers to which the clot es lines are connected being swung upwardly to the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. I

With this construction it will be obvious that after the clothes have been placed upon the lines, they can be raised and held in an elevated position so as to prevent them from being soiled while drying.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of clothes lines,

means for supporting the ends oi the clothes lines, a standard, levers pivoted upon the standard and engaging intermediate portions or" the respective clothes lines, and means for simultaneously operating the le vers to raise and lower the clothes lines.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a clothes line, means for supporting the ends of the clothes line, a standard, a lever pivoted upon the standard and connected to an intermediate portion of the clothes line, an operating lever mounted upon the standard, and connecting means between the said operating lever and the first mentioned lever for moving the latter to raise and lower the clothes line.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a clothes line, means for supporting the ends of the clothes line, a standard, a lever pivoted between its ends u on the standard and having one end there- I oi connected to the clothes line, an operat-' ing lever, and connecting means between the said operating lever and the opposite end of I the first mentioned lever.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a clothes line, means for supporting the ends of the clothes line, a standard, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends upon the standard and having one of its ends connected to an intermediate portion of the clothes line, an operating lever, pulleys upon the standard, and a cable passing around the pulleys and producing an operative connection between the said operating lever and the opposite end of the first mentioned lever.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of clothes lines, means for supporting the ends of the clothes lines, a standard, a pair of levers pivotally mounted between their ends upon the standard, one end of each of the levers engaging one of the clothes lines, pulleys mounted upon the standard, an operating lever, and a cable passing around the pulleys and producing an operative connection between the operating lever and the opposite ends of the two first mentioned levers.

(5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of posts, a cross arm upon each post, clothes lines connecting the cross arms, a standard arranged between the posts, levers pivoted upon the standard and engaging the clothes lines, and means for moving the levers to raise and lower the clothes lines.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR GOFF.

lVitnesses FRANK Gorr, ELLEN Gorr. 

